Air temperatures were estimated between 35 and 40 degrees early Sunday afternoon, with winds about 15 mph. The ocean’s temperature, Long Beach Chief of Lifeguards Paul Gillespie said, was about 40 degrees.

Swimmers arrived early, covering the sand with blankets, beach chairs and even tents to keep out the cold. Most were bundled in several layers to conserve their body heat, though Liam Sullivan, 10, of Long Beach said it’s better to keep the clothes light pre-plunge.

“When you get in [the water], you won’t feel that bad,” he said as he waited with his mother, Christine Flynn, and brother, Connor Sullivan, 7.

Maya Riven, 30, of Merrick and her friend Lisa Asdahl, 33, of Wantagh sipped drinks from thermoses on the sand.

“It’s a really good experience. Everybody should do it at least once,” Riven said. She offered advice to other plungers: “Get your socks on first” when you come out of the water.

“It’s a great Long Beach tradition that’s grown dramatically over the years,” said City Manager Jack Schnirman, who was about to take his sixth dive into the cold water. “It’s incredible, it’s inspiring. . . . This is what Long Beach is all about.”

Natanel Hershko, 12, of Oceanside sprinted into the water as his father, Eli Hershko, and brother, Itai, watched from the surf — backpedaling as a wave rushed in and nearly soaked their feet — and recorded it on a cellphone.

“He tries to convince me every year to join him and I just refuse,” Eli said as he wrapped his son in a giant bathrobe, followed by a parka, blanket, hat and socks. Natanel, a two-time plunge veteran, also swapped his dripping swim trunks and waterproof shirt for long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

Carly Siegel, 16, of Lido Beach has been doing the Super Bowl Splash every year since she was 5. On Sunday, she jumped in with three friends from Long Beach High School and said it’s “really, really cold this year.”